Activism

Probate Advocates State Grand Jury Report Did Not Adequately Investigate Abuse by Court Officials

Published

3 years ago

August 29, 2022

Gentrification areas in New York City, Washington DC, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley have demonstrated a recognized problem with predatory attorneys gaining control of real estate at steep discounts via conservatorships.

By Tanya Dennis

On June 6th, the Alameda County Grand Jury released a report regarding deficiencies of probate Court including recommendations to correct deficiencies. Probate advocates are expressing disappointment that the report did not address the rampant abuse perpetrated by some court appointed guardians and officials, a well-documented occurrence not just locally, but nationally.

Spectrum Institute Attorney Tom Coleman says the reason is, “Attorneys are reluctant to investigate their own.” Spectrum Institute has been elevating evidence of probate court mismanagement and fraud over the last five years. The issues highlighted in the Grand Jury Report mirror Los Angeles Times’s investigative reports in 1987 and 2006 that reported those who exploit court dysfunction have only mastered their nefarious intent over the last 35 years. Each time issues are elevated, and nothing is done to correct them, the criminally intent are emboldened, and probate has been perverted to serve the predatory legal community at the expense of the public, often a completely misinformed and unsuspecting public.

Rick Black of CEAR, and producer of the expose documentary “The Guardians” says, “Conservatorship is always an expensive and risky proposition. It should be avoided at all costs. CEAR recognizes anyone can be targeted and exploited by it. Black or white, famous, or unknown, rich or penniless, intellectual or not, anyone can be exploited by this system. Victims of fraudulent adult conservatorships are left voiceless. Their loved ones and heirs are also victimized as the courts dismiss their pleas and material evidence.” CEAR has counseled or investigated over 5,000 cases of suspected fraudulent conservatorship.

Probate Advocates and the Post “Perils of Probate” stories have for years recognized that the minority population is disproportionately targeted by court insiders. The Black female senior community presents a recognized vulnerability. Black families have a history of maintaining homesteads via generational transfers. Properties purchased generations ago are most susceptible to interception by predatory parties in conservatorship. Gentrification areas in New York City, Washington DC, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley have demonstrated a recognized problem with predatory attorneys gaining control of real estate at steep discounts via conservatorships.

Probate reform advocates Shout Out Justice, the Probate Movement Reform Group, Center of Administration Reform (CEAR), and the Coalition for Elder and Disability Rights (CEDAR), spoke directly with DA O’Malley on the issues in 2018 and 2019. She knew the problem was court dysfunction and the ability for benefitting parties to commit constructive fraud in proceedings that facilitated downstream exploitation, theft, embezzlement, and extortion. O’Malley’s response was she was not aware of any accusations of “probate court staff” directly benefitting from the frauds.

Black cites that despite O’Malley’s claim that “There were mountains of claims against benefitting attorneys and conservators, all protected by the sponsoring probate jurist. It was also quite clear after several discussions with DA O’Malley that she had no interest in prosecuting fellow attorneys fully endorsed by District Court judges serving Probate.”

Venus Gist of California Probate Reform Network says, “We all know gentrification is real,” even Mayor Schaaf in a meeting with United Seniors Of Alameda County said that she believes the probate court is causing much of the homeless issues. Alameda County Probate Court robs families of generational wealth. My mother’s former temporary conservator attempted to sell my parent’s six figure rental property for $17,000 to collect their court fees. They never cared enough to talk with us or give my family payment options.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

President Joe Biden Honors Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and Others with Lifetime Achievement Award

Don't Miss

The Monkeypox Health Crisis: How California Is Responding

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oak Temple Hill Hosts Interfaith Leaders from Across the Bay Area

Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.

Published

23 minutes ago

June 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Troy McCombs (from the state of Washington), Elder Mark Mortensen (from Irvine, CA), Michael Pappas, Rev. Ken Chambers, Dr. Ejaz Naqvi, Elder Sigfried Nauman (from the state of Washington), and Richard Kopf. Courtesy photo.

Special to the Post

Interfaith leaders from the Bay Area participated in a panel discussion at the annual meeting of communication leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held on Temple Hill in Oakland on May 31. Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.

Chambers, said he is thankful for the leadership and support of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints’ global ministry, which recently worked with the interfaith congregations of ICAC to help Yasjmine Oeveraas a homeless Norwegian mother and her family find shelter and access to government services.

Oeveraas told the story of how she was assisted by ICAC to the Oakland Post. “I’m a Norwegian citizen who escaped an abusive marriage with nowhere to go. We’ve been homeless in Florida since January 2024. Recently, we came to California for my son’s passport, but my plan to drive for Uber fell through, leaving us homeless again. Through 2-1-1, I was connected to Rev. Ken Chambers, pastor of the West Side Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, and his car park program, which changed our lives. We spent about a week-and-a-half living in our car before being blessed with a trailer. After four years of uncertainty and 18 months of homelessness, this program has given us stability and hope again.

“Now, both my son and I have the opportunity to continue our education. I’m pursuing cyber analytics, something I couldn’t do while living in the car. My son can also complete his education, which is a huge relief. This program has given us the space to focus and regain our dignity. I am working harder than ever to reach my goals and give back to others in need.”

Richard Kopf, communication director for The Church of Jesus Christ in the Bay Area stated: “As followers of Jesus Christ, we embrace interfaith cooperation and are united in our efforts to show God’s love for all of his children.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Learning Life’s Lessons

Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband. He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.

Published

1 hour ago

June 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Richard Johnson and son Fati. Courtesy photo.

“California’s three-strike laws gave me 2 life sentences for drug possession. After serving 28 years, mostly in solitary confinement, I am free to lead a movement to get the formerly incarcerated to give back.”

By Richard Johnson

I have written this book in hopes of being able to help others from not traveling down the path that leads to imprisonment or a cemetery. At the very beginning of writing this book, it began as a message to my son Fati Yero Gaidi, who was only two years old at the time that I was given two life sentences in prison for drug possession, under the newly implemented three-strikes-you-out law. The more that I wrote, the book began to evolve beyond its intended purpose for my son; it became something that any and everyone could utilize on their separate journeys through life challenges that we encounter. The book helped me put my thoughts, reasoning, perceptions, and views on display, while opening doors that, for the most part, were closed. The book can be purchased via Amazon. Learning life lessons.

About the Author

By Post staff

Richard “Razor” Johnson, 74, is a man whose life journey is marked by hard-earned wisdom, redemption, and an unshakable commitment to guiding the next generation. Once sentenced to life under California’s Three Strikes Law, he was released through what he calls nothing short of divine intervention. His time behind bars, particularly in Pelican Bay State Prison, gave him a new raw and unfiltered understanding of life’s hardest truths.

With the realization that time is precious and the future is shaped by the lessons we learn, Richard writes with urgency and purpose. His book—a 300-page labor of love—is dedicated to young men who may not have a father to teach them the meaning of life’s most important words. Through definitions filled with wisdom, experience, and deep personal insight, he offers direction to those who find themselves lost, just as he once was.

His words are not just lessons; they are a call to action. He hopes that by investing in young minds with wisdom and insight, they will be better equipped to navigate life’s trials, learn from their mistakes, and find their path to success. Richard “Razor” Johnson writes not just to be heard, but to help – because he knows firsthand that sometimes guidance can make all the difference.

Post publishers Paul and Gay Cobb visited Johnson in San Quentin and attended his graduation while he was in prison. He became a columnist with the Post News Group and has continued his advocacy for the formerly incarcerated by urging them to “give something back”. Johnson says he will be speaking at prisons, colleges, and media outlets to help organize voter registration and community service projects.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

“Unnecessary Danger”: Gov. Newsom Blasts Rollback of Emergency Abortion Care Protections

Effective May 29, CMS rescinded guidance that had reinforced the obligation of hospitals to provide abortion services under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) when necessary to stabilize a patient’s condition. Newsom warned that the rollback will leave patients vulnerable in states with strict or total abortion bans.

Published

1 hour ago

June 14, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom is criticizing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for rolling back federal protections for emergency abortion care, calling the move an “unnecessary danger” to the lives of pregnant patients in crisis.

Newsom warned that the rollback will leave patients vulnerable in states with strict or total abortion bans.

“Today’s decision will endanger lives and lead to emergency room deaths, full stop,” Newsom said in a statement. “Doctors must be empowered to save the lives of their patients, not hem and haw over political red lines when the clock is ticking. In California, we will always protect the right of physicians to do what’s best for their patients and for women to make the reproductive decisions that are best for their families.”

The CMS guidance originally followed the 2022 Dobbs decision, asserting that federal law could preempt state abortion bans in emergency care settings. However, legal challenges from anti-abortion states created uncertainty, and the Trump administration’s dismissal of a key lawsuit against Idaho in March removed federal enforcement in those states.

While the rollback does not change California law, Newsom said it could discourage hospitals and physicians in other states from providing emergency care. States like Idaho, Mississippi, and Oklahoma do not allow abortion as a stabilizing treatment unless a patient’s life is already at risk.

California has taken several steps to expand reproductive protections, including the launch of Abortion.CA.Gov and leadership in the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a coalition of 23 governors supporting access to abortion care.